TL1 Northwest Arkansas Naturals

Naturals run right past Travelers

Published on July 20, 2009 under Texas League (TL1)
Northwest Arkansas Naturals News Release


SPRINGDALE, AR- The Naturals swiped a club record seven stolen bases and capitalized on four errors by the Arkansas Travelers Monday night en route to a 7-6 comeback win, sending the Travs to their tenth loss in their past eleven games at Arvest Ballpark.

The Travelers took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Ninth-place hitter Ivan Contreras led off with a bunt single and was moved over to second on a sacrifice by Coby Smith. Hainley Statia then singled in Contreras for the first run but was picked off by Naturals' starter Matt Kniginyzky. After an error charged to Naturals' first baseman Corey Smith allowed Travs' catcher Hank Conger to reach, consecutive singles by Mark Trumbo and Ryan Mount plated the other two runs.

Northwest Arkansas quickly got two of those runs back in the bottom of the frame. With two out, Jeff Bianchi and Corey Smith hit consecutive singles and Bianchi came in on a single by David Lough. Smith, who had moved over to third on Lough's hit, successfully stole home and Lough also slid safely into second to complete the double steal. The two swipes were the first of a club record seven stolen bases on the night. Vance Wilson and Marc Maddox hit solo home runs in the bottom of the fourth to put the Naturals up 4-3, but Kniginyzky unraveled in the sixth. After Travs' third baseman Chris Gutierrez singled with one out, Kniginyzky uncorked a wild pitch before Jeremy Moore, called up to the Travs from Advanced Class-A Rancho Cucamonga over the weekend, homered to the opposite field to give the Travs the 5-4 advantage. Wilberto Ortiz and Ivan Contreras then singled to put two runners on, but Kniginyzky was able to get Coby Smith on a force out and successfully retired Hainley Statia on a bunt ground out to end the inning.

North Little Rock was fortunate to allow the Naturals only one of those runs back in the bottom of the sixth as their defense collapsed. Batting with two out, Naturals' leadoff man Jarrod Dyson singled and then stole second, but Travs' catcher Hank Conger's throw to second sailed over the head of second baseman Ryan Mount and into the outfield, where Coby Smith bobbled the ball, allowing Dyson to score and knotting the game at five. After Travs' reliever David Herndon walked Kurt Mertins, the Naturals' second baseman very nearly pulled off the same play, swiping second on Conger and watching as Conger's throw went wide into the outfield. Mertins was held at third though and stranded when Herndon fanned Jeff Bianchi to end the inning.

Dyson's run got Kniginyzky off the hook as he ended up with a no-decision. Kniginyzky allowed 11 hits in his six innings to go along with five runs, three earned, five strikeouts, and one walk. Similarly, Travelers' starter Tim Kiely was a forgotten man by the end, allowing nine hits and four runs, fanning three and walking one as he received the no-decision in his first start against Northwest Arkansas.

The drama continued in the eighth inning. With one out, Naturals' reliever Ben Swaggerty (3-1) hit Travs' outfielder Jeremy Moore in the helmet and then committed a balk which moved Moore over to second. Moore came in on an RBI single by Wilberto Ortiz, but Naturals' skipper Brian Poldberg ended up in a lengthy discussion with third base umpire Brad Myers debating whether Moore had touched third base. The argument that ensued resulted in Poldberg's departure, marking the first time the Naturals' skipper has been tossed at Arvest Ballpark.

North Little Rock (7-16, 28-43) watched its 6-5 lead evaporate quickly in the bottom of the eighth. With two out, Jarrod Dyson singled off Travs' reliever Ryan Aldridge (0-1) and then stole his third base of the night. Kurt Mertins followed with a game-tying single before coming in on a double by Jeff Bianchi to put the Naturals up for good and make a winner of Swaggerty, who had allowed a run in 1 1/3 innings from the ‘pen.

New Naturals' reliever Juan Abreu was a bit wild in the ninth, walking Hainley Statia and Hank Conger to lead off his first inning of work in the Texas League, but settled in to retire the next three hitters for his first save for Northwest Arkansas (14-8, 50-42).

The series continues Tuesday. Southpaw Rowdy Hardy (0-1, 7.20) makes his 2009 Naturals home debut opposite right-hander Amalio Diaz (1-5, 4.71) for the Travelers. Game time is 7 P.M.

Check out the Northwest Arkansas Naturals Statistics

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Texas League Stories from July 20, 2009


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